No More Next Gen: Change the Words, Change the Industry

We often speak about the great resignation, talent retention, the erosion of expertise and the potential loss of corporate thought leadership as fewer new resources enter the industry. But what if the so-called ‘Next Generation’ simply isn’t there to help? Scary, isn’t it?

Almost two years ago, I was sitting in the audience at an IAPCO panel discussion during IMEX Frankfurt, focused on generational gaps and succession planning. I remember raising my hand and throwing out a provocation: what if we stopped talking about the Next Gen altogether? My point was simple: the very term creates a barrier. It frames emerging talent as something that will come, something separate from the conversations we are having now, something to worry about later. I felt that many senior leaders and C-suite executives were deeply concerned about the future of their companies, without fully acknowledging that the future was already sitting in the room with them.

Then time passed, and it has been one of my greatest honours to serve on the IAPCO Council as a co-opted member while chairing the Next Gen Committee. In these two years, we have celebrated important milestones and launched impactful initiatives designed and driven directly by young leaders. But if I had to name the biggest achievement, it would be the growing respect and openness shown by the Council and the entire community. At industry events, senior leaders frequently approached us to ask how we see the industry evolving, in terms of team structures, communication dynamics, or even the impact of AI. These exchanges strengthened our sense of ownership and reinforced the value of our contribution to industry challenges and opportunities.

Today, I am especially proud to say that this journey has led us to a meaningful shift. At IAPCO AM&GA Athens 2026, I presented this change and it was approved by the IAPCO General Assembly. We have decided to move away from the term ‘Next Gen’ and embrace a new definition: ‘Emerging Leaders’.

Moving from ‘Next Gen’ to ‘Emerging Leaders’ is more than a semantic update: it’s a shift in perspective. ‘Next Gen’ suggests waiting. It implies that leadership is something that will eventually happen, once someone grants permission or once enough years have passed. By contrast, ‘Emerging Leaders’ recognises the active role that younger professionals already play. It acknowledges their presence, their impact and their responsibility today.

Words shape behaviour, and this new naming removes the invisible hierarchy that keeps future leaders in the waiting room instead of at the decision-making table.

This shift shouldn’t remain an internal evolution within IAPCO. It should spark a broader movement in our industry and beyond. Associations, organisations and companies should start questioning how they frame and engage with younger professionals, whether in governance, programme design, committees or strategic planning. The industry thrives when fresh perspectives sit alongside experience, not behind it. If we truly believe in long-term sustainability, then leadership pipelines need to be nurtured now. Recognising Emerging Leaders as an integral part of the present should become standard practice across the meetings and events ecosystem.

So here is an invitation to everyone: let’s shift our mindset together. Let’s stop talking about ‘Next Gen’ as if it were a separate chapter that will open someday. The chapter is already unfolding, and Emerging Leaders are already writing their part of the story. Start using this terminology in your conversations, your panels, your committees, your mentorship programmes and your internal documents. By adopting this name, we reinforce a culture of inclusion, empowerment and shared responsibility.

The future of our industry is not waiting in the wings. It’s flying already!

Giulia Ineke Sarri, who formerly chaired the Committee, was recently ratified by Council as a new IAPCO Council Member. She is succeeded by Alexandros Terzis of ERA Congresses & Events, Greece, who now serves as Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee.